What To Do When Death Occurs
This article lists the various scenarios death may occur and provides a step by step guide on what to do.
Death comes to us all.
Yet many find Death difficult to accept when it strikes a loved one. Emotions such as grief, anger
or confusion may set in. But there are many arrangements that must be made while we cope with these
emotions. It is our hope that CasketHub can make things a little easier for the bereaved with this directory of
Singapore funeral directors and services and other death-related matters, all under one portal.
Funeral directors will be the best advisor during this time. We have compiled a comprehensive list of funeral directors and
their related services. To make searching easier, we have sub-categorised the listing into the various communities and multi-religion
that each Funeral Director service.
As for Funeral Directors, CasketHub.com serves as a hub where other products and services related to funeral can be readily located.
Your contribution towards this Hub is essential to building a useful and relevant portal for our community.
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| Scenario A: If the death occurs in a hospital |
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Step 1: Obtain Certificate of Cause of Death (CCOD)
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| When a death occurs, a doctor at the hospital can certify the cause of death if the cause of death is known AND the cause is natural. He will then fill up the CCOD and hand it to the ward nurse. The family can obtain the CCOD from the ward nurse by producing the identity card of the deceased. |
| If the doctor is unable to determine the cause of death, or a death has been the result of or has been contributed by an unnatural event (e.g. surgical complication, a fall prior to admission), the doctor is under the requirement of the law (Criminal Procedures Code) to refer the case to the Police / Coroner. In such cases, the body will be sent to the Centre for Forensic Medicine (CFM) Mortuary (located at Block 9 Singapore General Hospital) in a Police Hearse. The hospital will arrange for this to be done. The family will be told by the Police when to go down to the CFM Mortuary (this is usually on the next day). |
| What to Bring to CFM Mortuary:
• All medical documents relating to the deceased
• All medicine consumed by the deceased
• Identification papers of the deceased and informant e.g. NRIC/Passport/Certificate of Registration of Birth/ FIN card
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At the CFM Mortuary
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• The Police Investigator will arrange for the family to view and identify the deceased's body in the presence of the Coroner.
• The Coroner will review the case and determine if an autopsy is required.
• The family will be informed of the Coroner's decision and the time to claim the body for the funeral.
If the autopsy reveals that the death is unnatural, the Police will need to conduct further investigations into the cause of death and the family will need to assist. Once the investigation is completed, the family will be told by the Police to attend a Coroner Inquiry at the Subordinate Courts.
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Step 2: Engage a Funeral Director
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After the Certificate of Cause of Death has been obtained, the family may engage a funeral director who will
(i) collect the body from the home/hospital mortuary
(ii) send the body for embalming (if required), and
(iii) deliver the body to the location of the wake
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Step 3: Register The Death (this could be done simultaneously with Step 2)
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Prior to registration, the family should decide whether the body will be cremated or buried as this information is required when registering the death.
The family will have to register the death at
• the Registry of Births & Deaths
3rd floor, ICA Building
10 Kallang Road S(208718)
Tel: 6391 6100
| Working hours: |
8am - 5pm (Mon - Fri)
8am - 1pm (Sat) |
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| What to Bring to Register a Death:
• Certificate of Cause of Death
• Identification papers of deceased and informant e.g. NRIC/ Passport/ Certificate of Registration of Birth/ FIN card
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If the body is referred to the CFM Mortuary, the death will be registered at the CFM Mortuary.
You may refer to Arranging a Funeral for more information.
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| Scenario B: If the death occurs at home during office hours |
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Step 1: Obtain Certificate of Cause of Death (CCOD)
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| Contact your family doctor who has been attending to the deceased. If the family doctor is able to certify the death, he will issue the CCOD on the spot. If he is unable to certify the death, call the Police for the body to be sent to the Centre for Forensic Medicine (CFM) Mortuary (located at Block 9 Singapore General Hospital) in a Police Hearse. The family will be told by the Police when to go down to the CFM Mortuary (usually the next day). |
| If you do not have a family doctor, contact the Police who will come to your house. The Police will contact the Forensic Death Investigator (FDI). The FDI will come to your house to certify the cause of death. If death can be certified, the FDI will issue the CCOD on the spot. If death cannot be certified, the Police will arrange for the body to be sent to the CFM Mortuary in a Police Hearse. The family will be told by the Police when to go down to the CFM Mortuary (usually the next day). |
| What to Bring to CFM Mortuary:
• All medical documents relating to the deceased
• All medicine consumed by the deceased
• Identification papers of the deceased and informant e.g. NRIC/Passport/Certificate of Registration of Birth/ FIN card
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* Office hours refer to:
Mondays to Fridays 8:00am to 4:30pm
Sat, Sun and Public Holidays 8:00am to 12:30pm
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At the CFM Mortuary
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•The Police Investigator will arrange for the family to view and identify the deceased's body in the presence of the Coroner.
•The Coroner will review the case and determine if an autopsy is required.
•The family will be informed of the Coroner's decision and the time to claim the body for the funeral.
If the autopsy reveals that the death is unnatural, the Police will need to conduct further investigations into the cause of death and the family will need to assist. Once the investigation is completed, the family will be told by the Police to attend a Coroner Inquiry at the Subordinate Courts.
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Step 2: Engage A Funeral Director
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After the Certificate of Cause of Death has been obtained, the family may engage a funeral director who will
(i) collect the body from the home/hospital mortuary
(ii) send the body for embalming (if required), and
(iii) deliver the body to the location of the wake
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Step 3: Register The Death (this could be done simultaneously with Step 2)
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The family will have to register the death at
• the Registry of Births & Deaths
3rd floor, ICA Building
10 Kallang Road S(208718)
Tel: 6391 6100
| Working hours: |
8am - 5pm (Mon - Fri)
8am - 1pm (Sat) |
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| What to Bring to Register a Death:
• Certificate of Cause of Death
• Identification papers of deceased and informant e.g. NRIC/ Passport/ Certificate of Registration of Birth/ FIN card
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If the body is referred to the CFM Mortuary, the death will be registered at the CFM Mortuary.
You may refer to Arranging a Funeral for more information.
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| Scenario C: If the death occurs after office hours |
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STEP 1: Obtain Certificate of Cause of Death
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| Contact your family doctor who has been attending to the deceased. If you do not have a family doctor or if the family doctor is not available, contact any of the neighbourhood doctor who is willing to make a house call. |
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If the doctor is able to certify the death, he will issue the CCOD on the spot. If he is unable to certify the death, call the Police for the body to be sent to the Centre for Forensic Medicine (CFM) Mortuary (located at Block 9 Singapore General Hospital) in a Police Hearse. The family will be told by the Police when to go down to the CFM Mortuary (usually the next day).
If you are unable to contact a doctor, call the Police. The body will be sent to the CFM Mortuary in a Police Hearse. The family will be told by the Police when to go down to the CFM Mortuary (usually on the next day).
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| What to Bring to CFM Mortuary:
• All medical documents relating to the deceased
• All medicine consumed by the deceased
• Identification papers of the deceased and informant e.g. NRIC/Passport/Certificate of Registration of Birth/ FIN card
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* Office hours refer to:
Monday to Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm
Sat, Sun and Public Holidays 8:00am to 12:30pm
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http://www.nea.gov.sg/passesaway/when.htm
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Listing added: Aug 27, 2007) ::
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